More Christmas Cheer

Christmas Day I went to another Pase del Niños outside of Cuenca and then went with my friend Tere and her family to eat carne asado. Early the next morning I headed back down south and had lunch with Ashley and Selena in Machala. Then I spent another three hours on the bus to Zaruma, an old mining town a few hours inland from the coast, where I visited Benito and Sara. There are rolling green mountains and banana plants and old wooden architecture dating to the 1500´s and there is excellent coffee, which if all goes according to plan a few lucky family members of mine will receive in the States. We did a hike in the rain and then I lay in Benito´s hammock and read more John Dos Passos. Then it was back to Cuenca where I met up with Angie, a friend of Risa and Jordan from Quito. She talked me into going out to Cajas National Park to spend the night and I packed my sleeping bag and my heavy winter jacket (Cajas is really high up) , but after a long day of hiking with a lot of stuff on our back, Angie decided to my great relief that really all the time you needed in Cajas is one day and we went back to Cuenca and slept very soundly in my apartment. I thought that I was getting into better shape, but found that hiking at high altitude was really almost more than I could handle. Tonight we have a little dinner party with friends here and hopefully will get to see the New Years celebration in Cuenca.